GEAR : WHICH CRUZADER TO CHOOSE?

We give you all you need to understand this singular shape that turns all references upside down!

 

Designed to be more than just a niche piece of equipment for downwind purists, the Cruzader has quickly proved to be the solution for endless SUP foil and wing foiling, on the flat or in the waves, with or without wind…

Its innovative shape makes it possible to exploit even the most marginal wing foil conditions, the slightest ripple with a paddle, and even take off from a standstill with a SUP foil! It’s a total reconsideration of the conditions in which it’s possible to fly, surf and sail. Having fun with a board like the Cruzader starts right from the flat and 0 knots of wind! In this news, we explain how to choose the board that will make your session counter explode!

Its full-sandwich carbon-PVC construction is built to last, even in the most demanding wing conditions (Just look at the Guénolé father and their loops…). It has the advantages of carbon and the durability of a board with a hydrophobic integral shell. The best of the best, because if properly maintained, it will still be flying 20 years from now.

Too long for your car or storage? The Cruzader is also available in an inflatable version with the HIPE Cruzader Strapped or Strapless.

Different programs

The Cruzader Point, Cruzader Diamond and HIPE Cruzader are first and foremost versatile boards that can be used for a wide variety of programs:

• • Wing foil: for ultra-light wind or to enjoy fabulous glide;
  • Downwinds in wing foil / SUP foil with an easy take off;
  • Scoring in SUP foil on tiny waves or waves that don’t break;
  • Pumping on flat water with a standing start;

Good to know: It’s important to note that while the Cruzader shines in marginal conditions, it would be a mistake to limit it to this range of use. It will also give you a great sensation in the more established conditions, because thanks to its efficiency on take-off, there’s no need to be overpowered or to oversize your foil set-up when SUPing. So it is very playful and fast. Moreover, its relatively small volume and length in front of your front foot (you’re centered) delivers perfectly acceptable inertia for the most common foiling tricks. With the Cruzader 5’6 and 6’0, you can try maneuvers like you would with your usual freestyle board. Guaranteed repop 😉 It’s also important to note the effect a Cruzader can have on a surfer. The reduced width makes it easy to move from rail to rail, and carves quickly become smoother. And what at first glance might seem like a cumbersome board due to its length, becomes a real revelation for those in search of surfing and free-flying carves. The nose is thin, and the foilers position is very centered on the board, giving the feeling of a very short board. And as an added bonus, the rear straps can be shifted into the SUP position, for greater maneuverability when surfing.

We recommend that you choose the size of your Cruzader according to its primary use. For example, you don’t need as much volume with a wing foil as you would to take off paddling on the flat, as the wing provides plenty of support, even in 5 knots. Choosing a Cruzader for one use rather than another doesn’t close any programs, but the difference in comfort, and therefore pleasure, can be significant. Here are the best choices for a given use, size and level.

  Wingfoiler: Bastien, GONG team rider, with a Cruzader Point FSP Pro, Plus wing and HM85 mast.

Level, size and practice

The practices made possible by Cruzaders are vast. We offer you a wide choice of these models for your specific needs:

• Cruzader Point FSP Pro dimensions:

• Cruzader Diamond FSP Pro dimensions:

The Cruzader Point is offered in 10 lengths from 5’2 to 8’2 for intermediate to advanced wing and SUP foilers who want to prioritize glide and therefore take off. Each of these sizes is doubled up with an XL version, the larger of which is mainly dedicated to SUP foilers at a “beginner” level, and the smaller to wing foilers looking for reassurance on choppy water, and gain in overall comfort when not in flight.

This is also the essence of the Cruzader Diamond, which offers more width, and therefore lateral stability, than a Cruzader Point of the same length, but less volume than a Cruzader Point XL in order to maintain a more dynamic board. Put another way:

• The Cruzader Point is the most high-performance, but also the most technical when not in flight.
• The Cruzader Point XL is the most accessible.
• The Cruzader Diamond offers a more compact format for wave riding.

With equivalent volume, these three boards will take off before any other model in our range. There’s no doubt about it. This will enable you to reduce the size of your foil or considerably widen your low end. The choice between these models will depend on your priorities:

• • Pure performance > Cruzader Point
  • Comfort outside flight phases > Cruzader Point XL
  • Dynamism and versatility > Cruzader Diamond

Everyone can place the pointer wherever they like. As mentioned above, it’s your use that’s the primary determining factor. Here are our recommendations.

 

  Here are our recommendations for your program:

• • SUP foil
  • Wing foil
  • Hybrid SUP / Wing foil

For a SUP foil program:

The Cruzader Point is a board for “pros”, while the XL version is accessible to “everyone”, with a giant foil to stabilize the board. You’ll even be surprised to find your legs shaking on your NFA 9′ after a session on the Cruzader Point XL, as you get so used to the balance provided by the foil. Bear in mind that foil size affects board stability. The stability of the Cruzader will be optimal with a foil the size of a Sirus 156 or 186, while the stability (at standstill) provided by a Fluid L-H foil will be tricky ++ for example. It’s a factor that can tip the balance towards one Cruzader size rather than another in case of uncertainty.

The Cruzader Diamond can also be considered as a SUP foil for use in waves, as it will be very stable on choppy water and more dynamic in flight thanks to its more restrained length. On the other hand, for flat starts, the Cruzader Point and Point XL are the reference, notably for their slimmer shape.

Choose wisely. A 7’0 board is pretty short in SUP. Under 7’, the row effect is felt, even if the narrowness of the Cruzaders limits this problem. Length will bring stability, as the board will be less likely to tilt back and forth, you’ll be able to paddle faster, and as soon as you start to glide, you’ll gain balance. Also, by choosing a board that’s too short, you reduce its ability to glide and take off.

Be careful not to undersize if you mainly wish to dead-start, as this practice requires both gliding and tilting back and forth. When starting off flat/standing (without any wave power), you need to swing the board longitudinally to pump the water before flight and gradually engage the foil. If you don’t have enough volume on the front, the nose will sink under your impulsion rather than bounce off the water to maintain the oscillating movement. So if dead starts are your priority, go for a little more volume than for a wing practice that doesn’t require volume, for example.

To ensure comfort when paddling and to get the Cruzader gliding, we recommend a volume comparable to that of your SUP board. For example :

• A SUP foiler Pro will take enough volume to float, equal to its weight + 10 or + 20. In other words, if he weighs 70kg, he’ll take the Cruzader Point in its classic 6’0 shape, which is 92L.
• A SUP foiler of a very good, sporty level will choose a Cruzader with sufficient volume to float with margin, equal to its weight + 30 or + 40. A 70kg rider, for example, will need the 112L Cruzader Point 6’6 to feel comfortable after the first few sessions.
• An intermediate SUP foiler will choose a Cruzader Point XL with a volume equal to its weight +50. Or a Cruzader Diamond if he’s going to use it mainly in the waves.
• A beginner SUP foiler will choose a Cruzader Point XL with a volume equal to its weight +60. Or a Cruzader Diamond if he’s going to use it mainly in the waves.

SUP foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, with a Cruzader Diamond FSP Pro. For a wingfoil program: The ultimate glide of the Cruzader Point is accessible to most riders, as the wing allows you to find your balance. The Cruzader Point XL and Diamond offer greater comfort on choppy waters. They will therefore be the first choice of wave riders or enthusiasts looking for reassuring volume. For comfort in wing foil, here are our recommendations:

• • A pro wing foiler will take the smallest Cruzader Point or a size that also suits his SUP level.
  • An intermediate wing foiler will need at least 15-20 liters more volume than his usual wing board. For example, if he usually rides an 85-liter Lemon, he’ll choose a 102-liter Cruzader Point 6’3. If you prefer more comfort when not in flight, you can opt for either the Cruzader Point XL or the 112-liter Cruzader Point 6’6. Or the 110-liter Cruzader Diamond, with a length of 6’3, less perf than the Point 6’6 but close in comfort to the Point XL.
  • Cruzaders are not recommended for beginners, but the XL or Diamond versions can help the most athletic and skilled boarders to get there. In this case, choose a volume at least equal to your weight +40.

  Wing foiler: Malo, GONG team rider, with a Cruzader Point XL and Droid UPE Aramid.

For an hybrid program:

For hybrid use, you want to use the same board for wing foiling and SUP foiling (downwind, surfing, pumping). In this case, we recommend that you choose the board according to your SUP foil level. Thanks to its relatively narrow nose, you don’t have to suffer much from inertia or a feeling of length when sending a turn or tricks. For this reason, oversizing the Cruzader in wing foil to be comfortable in SUP foil is not a disadvantage.

The Cruzader FSP Pro has front inserts that allow single straps to be fitted for SUP foil or V-straps for wing foil. They always have a single strap at the back.

All Cruzader users are highly addicted to its qualities! 😉 Challenging at first, but quickly very stimulating in marginal wave or wind conditions, and even more so thanks to its insane glide. It’s a board you quickly become attached to for the unexpected sessions it delivers!